Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Are any of you aware of the international competition that is being held regarding the design of the blocks 69 & 70 ( the blocks that UPAC, Capitol Theater, and Utah Theater are on) ??. It's called Sixty Nine Seventy. Here is a link to the competition website: http://www.sixtynineseventy.com/

Here is one of the competition entries submitted by some young architects/designers from FFKR:


Here is another competition entry submitted by a friend of mine also from FFKR:

What are those white lines going over the buildings? Walk ways?

[Comrade]

Just say no to skyways.

[SLCdude]

^ Agreed.

[SLC Projects]

Ok I have to agree too. After taking another look at the skyways I hate the idea. What's the vison here?, to have people park their cars in one of the parking garage, take the skywalk to one of the theaters, take the skywalks again after the show and go back to their cars and leave without taking a single step on main, regent or state streets? That's poor planning. Want to connect everything?, break up the city blocks, build streets, plazas, or street level walkways with retail and green space.

[T-Mac]

It's almost like they are trying to copy the Highline Trail in NYC.

[DCRes]

There were a few pictured in the Trib of the old Zims building, it doesn't say what the building owners plans or intentions are though.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56242016-78/lake-salt-building-downtown.html.csp#comments

[sock puppet]

These are supposedly going to be "upscale." 150 south 400 east

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by T-Mac

It's almost like they are trying to copy the Highline Trail in NYC.

You guessed it Tmac. He was trying to create some sort of Highline trail like in New York. For those of you who are not familiar with the Highline trail, New Yorkers have revitalized an abandoned elevated train line in Manhattan. It is now a popular place.


But, what did you guys think of the other proposal? That one looked very nicely done. Did you see the little vignettes? I like what they proposed with that little park/unused space where Utah Power & light has some sort of transformer station. They proposed having a id-block road go through there with some sort of inner block plaza and a big screen/façade face the plaza. I really like that idea. check it out. zoom in on the vignettes.

[Future Mayor]

I have to agree, the elevated walkways are a horrible idea. New York's highline trail is a great idea, 1) because the structures were already there and it was an efficient use of those existing structures, 2) NYC has millions of people living in it, and a great portion of their sidewalks are crammed to the gills with pedestrians. SLC doesn't have that problem.

[ajiuO]

A couple of more stores at gateway are closing down on Wednesday... Quicksilver and the shop next door to it owned by the same company.

[Future Mayor]

Come on Gateway management, time to put your thinking caps on and come up with some creative solutions, such as a drug store. The Rite Aide on Main and 100 S does great business, particularly during the day, one at Gateway would do well too, day and night. Maybe work with Smith's or Fresh Market to open up a smaller version store in The Gateway, something like Emigration Market Maybe entice more restaurants to come to the Gateway, more than just in the SE restaurant section, or maybe another bar.

[Comrade]

They need to establish an entertainment district there. It's the only viable option - allow clubs and bars and build on the residential there (which, I think, caters to younger people).

[Future Mayor]

The mayor has stated that he wants to establish an entertainment district, and you're right Comrade, Gateway makes perfect sense. The entire thing doesn't have to be bars, clubs and restaurants, but a nice mix of those plus retail would be a great feature for that neighborhood, particularly since more and more residential is coming on line in the area.

You can really mix in high end locally started restaurants right next door to bars and clubs. West 6th in Cleveland did that exact same thing, many of the nicest restaurants were intermingled with all the clubs and bars.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by H4vok

Does anybody know what's going in on the Southwest corner of 900 East and 1700 South? They've got foundations in. Maybe looks like condos?

Edit:
Just found my own question.
Lotus Bluekoi Townhomes

Credit: https://www.facebook.com/LotusBluekoi

The garage floors, (underground) have now been poured as well. I figured it was some sort of town home development but I hadn't seen any pictures of it. This isn't what I expected, but I really like the design.

[gusam26]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

They need to establish an entertainment district there. It's the only viable option - allow clubs and bars and build on the residential there (which, I think, caters to younger people).

maybe they should close the access to cars on fridays and saturdays and have some street performers along the small street, something similar to 3rd st promenade in Santa Monica.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_rLuxgLIqg

[Just A Thought]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Come on Gateway management, time to put your thinking caps on and come up with some creative solutions, such as a drug store. The Rite Aide on Main and 100 S does great business, particularly during the day, one at Gateway would do well too, day and night. Maybe work with Smith's or Fresh Market to open up a smaller version store in The Gateway, something like Emigration Market Maybe entice more restaurants to come to the Gateway, more than just in the SE restaurant section, or maybe another bar.

I've been saying this for months.

GATEWAY, OPEN A SODDING ORGANIC GROCERY!!!!!! AND A HARDWARE STORE!!!!!! ITS THE BIGGEST NO BRAINER IN HISTORY.

GW, get on google maps and type in grocery store downtown, how many? 2, Harmons, which is nice, but no where near where most of the downtown lofts are and Jades, which with all due respect, is OK, but its no kick assed organic grocery store that most of the downtown life efficient, young healthy demographic are CRYING OUT OUT FOR!!!!

It doesn't have to be huge, as Mayor says the Emigration Market type size would more than sufficient. Its all about WALKING, not driving. I don't want to get in my car every time I forget the sodding parsley for my evening meal.

DO IT GW. USEFUL STORES. NOW.

Sorry for the caps. I don't usually resort to using caps. Its just that this gateway-no-grocery-store-thing must end, and its so frustrating... They literally deserve to go bankrupt if they don't get this sorted soon.

[StevenF]

Originally Posted by sock puppet

These are supposedly going to be "upscale." 150 south 400 east

I looked into these and there are only 1 and 2 bedroom units. give me a dang 3 bedroom market rate apartment in downtown. Is that a hard request to accomplish?

[ajiuO]

On the topic of gateway.. I am about done with Megaplex 12... That place just gets worse every time I go in. Auditorium 1 has had a rip in the screen for 2 years.. So i opted to go see IM3 in one of the smaller auditorium... The sound was horrible.. People were going out and complaining about it so much that they actually came in, stopped the movie, and promised to fix it.. They turned the volume up but it still sounded horribly muffled.. Everything about the place is rapidly becoming out of date... The sound systems, screens, seats, the CRT monitors outside of each theater with horrible burn in, the decor... They should close the place for a couple of months and do a full overhaul...

They should start by completely gutting the hallways, restrooms and lobby.. They should be updated to look more like VFM. All of the screens should be replaced and the sound systems updated.... New wall treatments and new leather seating like VFM. They should also add in dbox and premium seating like the other theaters have... And finally 2 of the standard auditoriums should be merged into a large imax auditorium like the one at VFM. Something like the cricket deal at Jordan Commons would also be cool.. Not sure if they have the space though... And I'm also not sure why downtown salt lake deserves one of the worst most outdated first run movie theater in the valley

Besides that bumbling rant... I agree on the entertainment district... I would love to see a bowling alley... They need to start by maintaining and updating the current entertainment though... Its sad when you live 2 blocks from gateway and would rather take trax to VFM to see a movie.. Thank god I got Star Trek tickets for somewhere else.. :-)

[delts145]

Does Miller no longer own that theater?

[StevenF]

AjiuO, I worked at that theater back in 2002-2003 and it was a great place then. Management wouldn't let a Curnal of popcorn sit on the floor more than a second before having it cleaned up. It's sad that the current management doesn't seem to care as much.